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To cover one's ears while stealing a bell; to deceive oneself by ignoring the truth; to be in denial about an obvious fact.
他掩耳盗铃地认为自己没有问题。
He is in denial, believing he has no problems.
这种掩耳盗铃的行为只会让问题更严重。
This behavior of ignoring the truth will only make the problem worse.
This idiom is often used to criticize someone who refuses to acknowledge an obvious fact or problem.
This idiom is often used in a critical or humorous tone to point out someone's self-deception.
The idiom is not used literally but figuratively to describe self-deception.
The idiom comes from an ancient Chinese story where a thief tried to steal a bell but covered his ears to avoid hearing the sound, believing no one would notice. It illustrates the futility of self-deception.
This idiom is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe someone who is in denial or ignoring obvious facts.